as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
at the corporate get-together we made the obligatory small talk with some people from the home office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of small talk
Skip the small talk, start the party.
—
PC Magazine, 2 Sep. 2025
The quiet in the air held too much meaning for two strangers making small talk.
—Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, the show lacks an engaging draw on that front as well, with its safe conversations that just barely surpass small talk.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
In fact, that’s exactly what happened to me on one particular occasion when the SVP, after some small talk, asked me a question that was clearly answered by the first bullet point in my most recent job.
—Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small talk
PC Magazine, 2 Sep. 2025
The quiet in the air held too much meaning for two strangers making small talk.
—Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, the show lacks an engaging draw on that front as well, with its safe conversations that just barely surpass small talk.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
In fact, that’s exactly what happened to me on one particular occasion when the SVP, after some small talk, asked me a question that was clearly answered by the first bullet point in my most recent job.
—Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small talk
Noun
-
Erin Andrews is a couple minutes late to our Zoom chat.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Her husband and their helpers are in various group chats together, which Nina says are a godsend in making sure everyone’s communicating and on the same page.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The railroad’s willingness to pay the bill, including slimming down its own office payroll to free up more funds, appears to have limited the reputational damage enough for serious merger talks to proceed on down the tracks.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
However, the reality is that peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US and Europe are clearly stalled, if at worse dead with many contentions from both sides surrounding security concerns and, importantly, trade sanctions.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Two types of story dominated the chatter in the newsroom this week.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Read the Room While everyone’s all for friendly chatter before the game or between plays, once the ball’s in the air, many folks will want to focus all attention on what’s happening on screen.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Each monthly box includes three recipe guides, skill lessons, a kitchen tool, a kitchen project, an apron patch, table talk cards, and a grocery list.—
Jessica Booth,
Parents,
16 Dec. 2024
-
Almost everything about Thanksgiving, from travel to table talk about politics, has the potential to become fraught.—
Kendra Nordin Beato,
The Christian Science Monitor,
26 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20talk. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share